Pear tree named ‘ANP-0131’

ABSTRACT

A new pear variety distinguished by its medium to large sized fruit and long storage potential. Fruit are bicoloured with a strong red blush over a green colored skin. They ripen to a fine texture with no grit and excellent aromatics.

Latin name of the genus and species of the plant claimed: Pyruscommunis.

Variety denomination: ‘ANP-0131’.

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

None

STATEMENT REGARDING FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH OR DEVELOPMENT

None

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a new and distinct variety of pear treenamed ‘ANP-0131’. My new tree resulted from a planned hybridizationprogram and is a selection from crossing ‘Corella’ (Unpatented) as theseed parent with ‘Doyenne du Comice’ (Unpatented) as the pollen parent.

The cross was made in 1995 at Stoneville, Western Australia and thepopulation of 182 seedlings established at Tatura, Victoria, Australia.The seedling tree of the ‘ANP-0131’ variety was selected in 2001 andplanted into a replicated trial on ‘D6’ (unpatented) rootstock and‘Quince A’ (unpatented) rootstock with ‘Beurre Hardy’ (unpatented) pearas an interstock in 2003 . Additional trees of the seedling selectionwere planted at Australian Pome Fruit Improvement Program (APFIP) sitesin Western Australia, South Australia and Victoria in the same year forregional evaluation. Further asexual propagation by budding and graftingof trial trees in 2009 and 2012 for large scale evaluation trials atTatura on ‘BP1’ rootstock (U.S. Plant Pat. No. 10,231) showed that theforegoing characteristics come true to form, are firmly fixed, and areestablished and transmitted through succeeding propagations.

BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The ‘ANP-0131’ variety is distinguished from other pear varieties due tothe following unique combination of characteristics: bicoloured fruitwith a strong dark red overcolour and green colored skin that does notchange color upon softening. Fruit can be stored long term similar tothe green coloured pear variety ‘Packhams' Triumph’ (not patented)without loss in eating quality and ripen to a soft, fine texture low ingrit.

The new variety was determined to be distinct from the parent varieties‘Corella’ and ‘Doyenne du Comice’ by the following characteristics: Thetime of full bloom for ANP-0131 is between that of its parents with‘Corella’ being early and ‘Doyenne du Comice’ later flowering. Maturityfor consumption of ‘ANP-0131’ is medium whilst ‘Corella’ and ‘Doyenne duComice’ are both late. Whilst all have fine melting texture, ‘ANP-0131’requires less time in storage than ‘Corella’ to initiate softening andhas lower grit under the skin and around the core than ‘Doyenne duComice’. The expression of flavor is greater than that of Corella butless than the strong flavor and aromatics of ‘Doyenne du Comice’. Theskin overcolor has a uniform coverage and a darker red color compared toCorella that has a bright red overcolor concentrated around lenticels.Under environmental conditions at Tatura ‘Doyenne du Comice’ does notusually develop a red overcolor. The following detailed descriptionconcerns the original tree, selected on January 2001, and progeny firstasexually propagated in 2003. The original tree and progeny have beenobserved growing in a cultivated area in Goulburn Valley, Australia.

Certain characteristics of this variety may change with changingenvironmental conditions (such as photoperiod, temperature, moisture,soil conditions, nutrient availability, or other factors). For example,leaf colors may be brighter green if the trees are grown in soil withgreater nitrogen concentrations, and may be more yellow when grown insoil containing lesser amounts of nitrogen. Color descriptions and otherterminology are used in accordance with their ordinary dictionarydescriptions, unless the context clearly indicates otherwise. Colordesignations (hue/value/chroma) are made with reference to The RoyalHorticultural Society Colour Chart (R.H.S.) version 2 published in 1966.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a photograph showing the stem end, calyx end and side view oftypical fruit of ‘ANP-0131’.

FIG. 2 is a photograph showing the horizontal and vertical crosssectional view of typical fruit of ‘ANP-0131’.

FIG. 3 is a photograph showing typical fruit on a tree of ‘ANP-0131’.

FIG. 4 is a photograph showing a 10 year old tree of ‘ANP-0131’ on D6rootstock.

FIG. 5 is a photograph showing a flowering branch of ‘ANP-0131’.

FIG. 6 is a photograph showing the typical mature leaves of ‘ANP-0131’.

The color photographs show typical specimens of the leaves and fruit ofthis new pear tree variety at 10 years old and depict the color asnearly true as is reasonably possible to make the same in a colorillustration of this character. It should be noted that colors may vary,for example due to lighting conditions at the time the photograph istaken. Therefore, color characteristics of this new variety should bedetermined with reference to the observations described herein, ratherthan from the photographs alone.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION Botanical

The following detailed description of the ‘ANP-0131’ variety is based onobservations of asexually reproduced progeny. The observed progeny aretrees which were 10 years of age and growing on D6 (Pyrus calleryana)variety rootstock in Goulburn Valley, Australia.

-   Scientific name: Pyrus communis ‘ANP-0131’.-   Parentage:    -   -   Seed parent.—‘Corella’, a seedling selection of unknown            parentage developed by German settlers in the Barossa Valley            in South Australia in the late 19th century.        -   Pollen parent.—‘Doyenne du Comice’, which was a seedling            from fruit garden of Comice Horticole, Angers, Department of            Maine-et-Loire, France, 1849.-   Tree:    -   -   Vigor.—Vigorous.        -   Overall shape.—Tree habit semi-upright.        -   Height.—Between 3 to 5 m.        -   Width.—Overall spread between 1.5 to 2.5 m.        -   Caliper.—24.1 cm at 20 cm above the graft union.        -   Trunk bark texture.—Smooth with few cracks.        -   Trunk bark color.—Medium grey (RHS 201C).        -   Patches or other markings.—Lenticels greyed-orange in colour            (RHS 177A).        -   Primary branches.—Semi-upright. Angle of emergence from            trunk: About 45 degrees.        -   Branch color.—One year old wood greyed-brown (RHS 199A). Two            year old wood greyed-brown (RHS 199B).        -   Branch pubescence.—None.        -   Branch lenticels.—High density, approximately 18.8 per cm2            (s.d. 3.9), round shape, typically 0.6 to 1.2 mm in            diameter; color greyed-brown (RHS 199D).        -   Internodes.—Average length 2.7 cm (s.d. 0.8) on one year old            wood. Average length 2.5 cm (s.d 0.5) on two year old wood.        -   Bearing.—Annual.        -   Hardiness.—Average in area tested.        -   Disease resistance.—No specific testing for relative plant            disease resistance has been undertaken. Under observation in            2012 in Goulburn Valley, Australia slight resistance to            field infection of pear scab was observed in the leaves and            fruit.        -   Pollination.—Cross compatible with ‘Hosui’ (not patented),            ‘Corella’ and ANP-0118 (Serial No.20150033423), but            incompatible with ‘Packhams' Triumph’.-   Leaves:    -   -   Texture.—Smooth upper and lower surfaces.        -   Sheen.—Glossy.        -   Length.—About 49 mm to about 71 mm. Averaging 60 mm (s.d.            5).        -   Width.—About 34 mm to about 56 mm. Averaging 44.6 mm (s.d.            6.6).        -   Thickness.—About 0.18 mm to about 0.26 mm. Averaging 0.22 mm            (s.d. 0.02).        -   Petiole.—About 24.7 mm (s.d. 4.1) long and about 1.1 mm            (s.d. 0.2) in diameter; Yellow-green (RHS 154C) in color.        -   Margin.—Serrate.        -   Tip shape.—Cuspidate.        -   Stipules.—Commonly 2 per leaf bud.        -   Leaf color.—Upper leaf surface: Yellow-green (RHS 146A).            Lower leaf surface: Yellow-green (RHS 147B). Vein:            Yellow-green (RHS 154D) pinnate with net-like minor veins.        -   Pubescence.—Upper and lower leaf surfaces weak to absent.            The length, width, thickness and other measurements were            obtained from observations of 20 typical leaves in Goulburn            Valley on 15 Jan. 2013.-   Flowers:    -   -   Size.—Medium, approximately 30.4 mm in diameter.        -   Shape.—Ovoid to round.        -   Color.—Unopened bud: white in color (RHS 155D). Opened            flower: white in color (RHS 155D).        -   Petals.—5 petals per flower; each petal is obovate in shape;            about 12.0 mm long and 7.6 mm wide. White in color (RHS            155D).        -   Stamen.—18 to 20 per flower; each stamen is 5.4 to 7.7 mm            long and white in color (RHS 155D). Arranged in a single            row.        -   Anthers.—Red purple (RHS 59B) in color.        -   Pistil.—Stigma is about 0.1 mm long; rounded at top in            shape; 5 styles, and light yellow green (RHS 145B) in color.        -   Sepals.—About 4.9 mm long and 2.3 mm wide mm wide (at base);            Acuminate in shape; yellow green (RHS 144B) in color.        -   Pollen.—Yellow (RHS 15A) in color.        -   Fragrance.—Faint.        -   Bloom season.—14-23 September in Goulburn Valley, Australia;            average full bloom date from 2009 to 2012 was 23 September            for ANP0131; 29 September for Packham's Triumph.-   Fruit: (Observations from 20 fruit in the 165 to 175 g weight range    harvested in Goulburn Valley, Australia).    -   -   Size.—Medium to large; About 68 mm long and 66 mm wide to 89            mm long and 70 mm wide.        -   Form.—Obovate pyriform to turbinate; symmetric, 1.19 length            to diameter ratio.        -   Cavity.—None; sepals closed.        -   Basin (blossom end).—About 3.8 mm deep and about 18 mm wide.        -   Stem.—About 21 mm long and 2.6 mm in diameter; yellow-green            (RHS 150B) in color; greyed-orange (RHS 163A) overcolour.        -   Locules.—Small; 5 locules; open.        -   Skin.—Thin with matt finish; no tendency to become waxy in            storage.        -   Color.—General color effect: sun blush; typically 20 to 40%            skin coverage and up to 70% skin coverage dependent upon sun            exposure. Lenticels not conspicuous; small and round;            yellow-green in color (RHS 144A). Ground color: Yellow-green            (RHS 144B). Overcolor: Greyed-purple to Greyed-red (RHS 183A            to 178A dependent upon intensity of blush). Russetting:            Absent.        -   Fruit properties during harvest period in Goulburn Valley,            Australia.—Acid content: about 155 g/100 ml malic acid.            Firmness: 5 to 6.5 kg for green fruit and softens about 0.4            kg after 7 weeks in storage at 0° C. Soluble solids: about            13 to 16° brix at harvest, average 15.7° brix (s.d. 0.7)            after 7 weeks in storage at 0° C. in 2013. Starch index: on            a scale of 1 (100% starch) to 6 (no starch) average 2.3 for            green fruit. Flavor: balanced acid/sugar ratio, medium            sweetness. Juiciness: medium. Flesh color: white (RHS 155A).            Flesh texture: fine; no grit cells. Aroma: Slight.        -   Core.—Basal bundle area shape about 21.3 cm (s.d. 2.1) long            and 19.1 cm (s.d. 1.5) wide; calyx tube semi-closed; core            line definition medium.        -   Seed.—Up to 10 seed per fruit, average 2.9 seed (s.d. 1.7)            in 2013 and 1 to 2 seed per locule; tear drop shape; about            9.2 mm (s.d. 0.5) long and 5.5 mm (s.d. 0.4) wide;            yellow-orange color at harvest (RHS 20C).        -   Fruit production.—Harvest period mid February in Goulburn            Valley, Australia. First harvest date 11 February and last            harvest date 1 March dependent upon seasonal conditions.            Production per hectare not determined. Trees produce            consistent medium crop loads similar to ‘Corella’.        -   Storage.—Fruit remains fresh at room temperature for at            least 7 days and can be stored for up to 10 months under            controlled atmosphere.        -   Usage.—Fresh market.

I claim:
 1. A new and distinct variety of pear tree, substantially asherein shown and described.